The first time they met
by Heeley
Summary: "Don't," Hermione whispered. His cool eyes swept over her, face expressionless as came closer and crouched by her head. Icy hands crept under her shoulders as he lifted her onto his lap. "You've hurt yourself," he murmured, pressing his fingers along her jaw.


**This is a one shot I wrote for the lovely Calebski. I _say_ one shot but in all honesty I can see it continuing for a few more chapters. Now, if you've read my profile page then you know I've challenged myself to write Hermione with every Death Eater...so now it's Evan Rosier's turn ;)**

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Chapter One

It was a stupid thing to do. Beyond belief really. But Hermione had honestly believed that she would be safe. Why wouldn't she? She was on holiday for goodness sake. A quiet family holiday without a single Witch or Wizard anywhere in sight. She'd checked. Twice. And then a third time just to be sure. Not a breath of magic had touched the small coastal village on the western edge of Ireland. Which was the precise reason she'd chosen the location in the first place.

Her parents had been bemused of course. Hermione would usually beg for sun and heat, but this time she'd opted for safety. Not that her parents would ever know that. They had no idea of the danger that followed her every step and the countless Death Eaters waiting in the shadows to bathe her in blood. Nor would they in just a few short weeks. She'd finally perfected the memory charm that would steal her from their lives forever. But before that, she'd wanted one more holiday with them. A safe place where she could pretend her world wasn't falling apart, where she could soak up every minute of their presence and store it in the back of her brain to keep forever.

The trouble was that with every passing day the time to perform the charm grew nearer. It hovered over her, pushing down and forcing the air from her lungs. Most of her time was spent furiously fighting the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She was barely eating and sleep was as elusive as catching mist. She'd taken to leaving the cottage at night and wandering the deserted beach. Watching the midnight waves roll in and kiss the jagged rocks with lacy fronds of foam.

She'd felt _safe_. Which was the only explanation she could think of for doing the unthinkable and leaving her wand behind. She honestly didn't believe that she'd need it. She hadn't on any of the other occasions she'd ventured out.

The night was peaceful, not a breath of wind stirred the air. Above, the moon was a bloated disc that gilded the land with silver light. The only sound was the shushing noise the waves made as they crept onto the shore.

And then she'd felt it. The skin prickling sensation of being watched. Twisting around, she'd searched the narrow track that ran parallel to the beach, eyes trying to see between the shadowed trees that lay beyond. Her fingers twitched for a wand that wasn't there. A bead of sweat trickled down her back. Around her the night seemed to hold its breath. Then she spotted him, standing on the narrow road, the trees framing his lean form. He was too far away for her to see clearly who it was. His face merely a pale blur with smudges for eyes, hair, and mouth. But she knew it was a Death Eater all the same. The black cloak he wore soaked up the darkness around him. And the only movement he made as he calmly watched her was the soft tap of his wand against his thigh. As steady and precise as a metronome.

Her first instinct had been to run. Indeed, she took two quick steps before she forced herself to stop. Forced herself to _think_. She couldn't lead him back to the cottage. Her wand might be there but then so would her parents.

The only other option she had was the village. If she could make it there then she might be able to lose him amongst the cobbled streets and shadowed doorways. Glancing left, she spotted the rocky outcrop she would have to navigate in the distance.

She set off walking.

So did he.

Hermione felt a ball of panic lodge itself beneath her ribs as he walked steadily in the same direction she was, higher up because the beach sloped down but at the same speed. He was tracking her. She increased her pace, shoes soaking up the lapping waves and covering her feet in ice. A quick look to the side showed that he had also increased his speed. She cursed softly beneath her breath before dragging in a lungful of salt tinged air, seeking to calm her racing heart.

 _Why wasn't he coming for her?_ She was completely exposed, wandless and utterly terrified. _Why was he still on the road? Was this some kind of game?_ Shaking the questions aside she carried on walking, unable to run for fear of twisting her ankle on the large uneven rocks.

It was when the waves once again covered her shoes that she understood. She froze, staring dumbly down at the inky black water. The tide was coming in. He didn't need to come onto the beach to collect her because the incoming water would force her towards the shore. Towards him. Her head swung slowly to the side.

The Death Eater had stopped walking. He was facing her, his face a pale blur and what she swore was a smile curving his lips. She could feel it. His amusement floating across the gap between them and settling on her skin. A shard of ice embedded her heart. Adrenalin rushing through her so fast it left her dizzy and slightly nauseous.

Instinct took over and she ran. Or tired to. Every rock seemed to leap into her way and trip her up, the ones coated with seaweed made her slip. They were jagged and uneven and she fell several times, hissing when her palms spilt and tore, leaving behind bloody hand prints that the moon painted black. And the entire time the tide rushed in, in, in.

Her gaze switched frantically from the Death Eater to the rocky outcrop. The outcrop that she knew would very soon be eaten by the sea. She was nearer to the shore now. Close enough that she could see who it was that was hunting her with vicious glee. Evan Rosier. The marble faced pureblood with ice blue eyes and earth brown hair.

Every bit of information she'd read about him came tumbling back into her brain. Cold. Humourless. Intelligent. Deadly. Liked to play with his victims. And that was her now. His victim. A sob exploded from her throat as she once again fell. Pain travelling along her body like an electric shock. For a moment she remained that way, on hands and knees as the waves splashed and lapped against her. The skin on her palms felt like it was on fire, the sharp sting pulsing with every beat of her heart.

"Given up already have you?" His cool voice seeped into her ears. "I'd hoped for more."

Hermione felt anger unfurl in the pit of her stomach at his words. She shoved roughly to her feet, sparing him a single glare before she began once more making her way across the beach. This time she slowed down, stretched her arms out wide for balance and fixed her eyes on the outcrop. It didn't look any closer. Folding her lips she determinedly made her way through the darkness, not once looking way from the jagged rocks.

The sea was lapping at her ankles now but she didn't dare creep any closer to the shore. She was already nearer than she was comfortable with. Rosier was maybe twenty steps away from her and although the water wouldn't reach the track he was standing on, Hermione knew it came very close. Her feet struggled to find purchase on the shifting rocks. The encroaching tide sweeping them from beneath her shoes. It was a few more minutes before she realised that she wasn't going to make it.

The first waves were already hugging the spiky rocks. By the time she got there the sea would be neck deep and the churning currents would pull her under. She stopped walking, despair weighing down her limbs. The waves rising up to her ankles, then her calves, and then finally her knees.

"What now Hermione?"

The question resonated inside her brain. _What now? What now? What now?_

Shaking, she looked at Rosier. He was walking towards her, his steps precise as he closed the distance between them. Hermione panicked, lunging from the water and stumbling across the rocks. The air felt like ice on her cheeks as she ran. The darkness blurring into one black stripe.

For a moment; one breathless moment, she thought she'd made it. But then her foot slipped and the world spun. A dull thud sounded as her head connected with a rock. Blinking she stared up at the star sprinkled sky. There was a sharp pain knifing through her skull and warm liquid trickling down her neck. She tried moving her arms but they felt like lumps of lead that refused to move. She pulled in a seaweed scented breath and listened to the splash the waves made as they battered the shore.

Something touched her foot and she flicked her eyes down to see Rosier standing at her feet.

"Don't," Hermione whispered.

His cool eyes swept over her, face expressionless as came closer and crouched by her head. Icy hands crept under her shoulders as he lifted her onto his lap.

"You've hurt yourself," he murmured, pressing his fingers along her jaw.

Hermione shuddered, fear clogging her throat closed as his heat encased her.

Lips brushed her forehead, hot breath scalding her skin. "Do you want me to make the pain stop?"

She whimpered. "I want you to leave me alone."

"Shush." The ghost of a kiss touched her mouth. "You're mine now. Close your eyes little Mudblood and I'll make it all go away."

Her eyes widened as he pulled back, his impassive face filling her vision. "Let. Me. Go."

Rosier's eyes flashed angrily. The fingers resting on her jaw dropping to her neck and squeezing gently. "Do you want to die? I can kill you or keep you, which would you prefer?"

"I don't want to die." She met his eyes with perfect clarity. Adrenalin fuelled fear sharpening her thoughts.

He lowered his face again, taking her lip between his teeth. Hermione ignored him, every piece of her attention focused on moving her arm. Lifting her hand until her fingertips brushed the soft velvet sleeve of his robe. Her creeping fingers halted when his tongue dipped into her mouth. The shock of the invading moistness freezing her in place.

It lasted a mere second before she regained her composure and snatched the wand from his fingers. In the same motion she tore her mouth away from him.

"Stupify!"

Rosier fell back with a thud and her vision was once again filled by the sky. She took a couple of breaths, lifted the wand to her head and cast a healing charm on herself. It wasn't perfect but it would do until she could get back to the cottage.

For a long while she just lay there. The Death Eater next to her. It was oddly intimate, listening to him breathe, feeling his heat so close. Eventually she struggled to her feet, mainly because the tide had covered her lower legs and they were prickling unbearably.

She didn't look back as she left the beach.

She should have done.

If she had, she would have seen Rosier standing on the tide line watching her walk away with an inscrutable expression marring his marble face.

That was the first time they met.

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 **So what did you guys think?**


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